November 16, 2010

The Killer Valentine Ball blog tour

Author C. A. Verstraete has written a masterful short story combining two of my favorite holidays. Read the review below and then keep going to read my interview with her.

Title: The Killer Valentine Ball

Author: C. A. Verstraete

Publisher: MuseItUp publishing

Copyright: 2010

ISBN:

Format: Short Story

Genre: Horror

I am NOT going to any valentines balls with you. With that in mind, MS Verstraete has created a world that Stephen King would love. It’s all so simple, a blind date to make mom happy. I think this is one time that love is blind and the date rather dangerous. But, read it for yourselves and see how many Valentines balls YOU want to go to.

It’s a short story and well worth the read. I rate this story highly.

Interview questions for C. A. Verstraete

What prompted you to write a Halloween/Valentine story?

Initially I saw a post about a themed anthology and Valentine’s Day came to mind… a natural for horror, wouldn’t you say?

As a writer, I need music in the background. Do you need special backgrounds?

I usually have music on, too, mostly pop or sometimes I confess I put on some old disco tunes. I do admit a weakness lately to watching Hoda and Kathie Lee on TV.

What is your favorite animal, domestic or wild and why?

All kinds. I love animals. I’ve had dogs all my life, have birds, fish, but if I had to pick two, I really like wolves and dolphins. Unfortunately, I can’t have either as the dog pen and the outside pond aren’t big enough. (Well, the dog pen might be.)

What is your favorite holiday and why?

With this kind of story you had to ask? Haa! I like Halloween. I enjoya good scare and like the decorating aspect. I decorate in miniature for dollhouses, too, so that’s always fun (there’s a link for miniatures on my website, http://cverstraete.com). I also enjoy Christmas, both in real life and miniature.

Your publisher has given you the book title, “Dancing with Snakes”. What are your first three sentences?

Do I have to do this? My legs shake. I hate snakes. Hate ’em. (Really.)

Your publisher has arranged for you to be on the first tourist suborbital flight. You have been given a list of required items and are allowed three optional items. What are they?

You have just returned home from your FUGRETI group meeting (Future GREet The Interterestials). As soon as you step up on the porch, something lands in your yard. From a distance it appears to be a meteorite, but when you pick it up it is something much stranger. What is it?

You are going on an Alaskan cruise. You may take any four people along. This includes movie stars and others you may not yet know. Whom do you select?

My, I’m going a lot of places, more than in real life. Haa! Hmm, have to ask my good friend Courtney Mroch who’s already gone on this cruise and family members, of course. The famous will already be on the cruise so I don’t have to ask them, just mingle!

10. Take all the space you want and tell us anything about you, your background or your history. The floor (paper, word, etc), is yours.

Fun questions, Ron, thanks for asking and hosting me.

Christine Verstraete is a Wisconsin author who enjoys writing both fiction and nonfiction. Her recent stories were published in the DAW Books anthologies Steampunk’d and Timeshares. She also is author of a children’s book, Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery, for ages 9-12. She’s currently working on a follow-up story to her Edison Steampunk characters and a YA zombie book.